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The connection between taste or smell and memory is powerful, often sparking a memory of a time or place. For Brent Looby, Ryan Campbell, and Judson Kauffman, the founders of Desert Door, the taste of sotol brings back memories of West Texas and the windy road they traveled to get to running the only commercial distiller of sotol in the United States.
The idea for Desert Door was born in an unexpected place—a classroom. The three were enrolled in an elective called New Venture Creation at the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business while pursuing their MBAs. As part of the course, teams were tasked with developing start-up business plans. Kauffman floated the idea of a sotol distillery.
“My uncle told me stories about how there were folks around his hometown of Fort Stockton who would moonshine sotol,” Kauffman said. “We wanted to have some fun with the project, so [we] decided to learn more, and here we are.”
These three military veterans and MBA classmates took a trip to West Texas, where they discovered the sotol plant and were captivated by its 10,000-year-old history. They made it their mission to revive this wild, unique spirit and share it with those seeking an authentic ranch-to-glass experience.
The name “Desert Door” captures that first sip, where you experience a spirit that embodies the essence of the land —smooth enough to sip straight or over ice, yet versatile enough to enhance any cocktail.
Sotol often requires a bit of an explanation. It's both the name of a distilled spirit and the plant that it’s made from — a bright green succulent with a tall shooting stalk that grows wild all over the Chihuahuan desert.
While it shares some similarities with tequila, sotol stands apart in many ways. Unlike tequila, which is made from agave, sotol is derived from a distant cousin in the asparagus family, specifically the Dasylirion texanum plant, putting it in a unique category of its own. Sotol offers a smooth, earthy flavor that sets it apart from other spirits. The founders are confident that sotol is positioned to become the next big thing in the spirits world.
Today, Desert Door is bringing this unique wild spirit back into the spotlight while honoring the deep-rooted traditions of sustainable foraging. All of the sotol plants used are wild-harvested in the West Texas desert), right where sotol’s history began. They remain dedicated to using locally sourced ingredients with no added sugars, artificial flavors, or colors.
Desert Door also takes pride in being incredibly sustainable with the way they harvest. All of the sotol plants are carefully selected at their peak once the plants reach full maturity (10 to 15 years) without using water, fertilizers, or pesticides, ensuring minimal impact on the environment.
Many consumer brands face a delicate balance between focusing on direct customer interactions and expanding their product's reach. Desert Door is lucky enough to have a tasting room that really provides a sense of place in showcasing its brand and spirit, often featuring live music on weekends. The tasting room transports guests to the rugged landscape of West Texas, allowing them to experience firsthand the versatility of Texas sotol on its own or mixed in a variety of carefully crafted cocktails.
Beyond the tasting room, Desert Door has a dedicated field team across the country, working alongside sales and distribution partners to both grow awareness of the sotol spirit and expand the reach of Desert Door. They highlight what sets this spirit apart from the pack —primarily its commitment to leading the way in promoting sustainability in the spirits industry. As our world continues to change and expand, land conservation is increasingly important. They are committed to wild harvesting and using sustainable practices, knowing what actions we take now affect the environment in the years ahead.
Like any startup, Desert Door has faced its share of obstacles along the way. Brent Looby, CEO of Desert Door, reflects on the challenges they encountered: "In the early days, we faced just about every challenge you can imagine. We failed at everything—early and often. But passion is the driving force that keeps you pushing forward, fixing problems, and overcoming obstacles."
For anyone looking to launch something new, his best advice is simple: "Make sure it’s something you're passionate about and be 100% committed. If you're not all in, you can't expect anyone else to be—don’t do it halfway."
Pick up a bottle of Desert Door and try the next big spirit!
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